A Malaysian state news agency has corrected a significant translation error in remarks by its foreign minister regarding "new landmines" near the Thai-Cambodian border, an issue sensitive to ongoing ceasefire discussions.
Bernama, the national news agency, issued an apology and correction for inadvertently misrepresenting Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamad Hasan’s statement. The agency stated the original story contained a translation error from Malay into English.
The correction clarified that an ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) in Thailand and Cambodia reported that the landmines were new, reversing the earlier incorrect report that stated they were "not new" landmines.
Mohamad Hasan had engaged with Thailand’s foreign minister, expressing hopes for calm and continued peace talks between the two nations.
Malaysia has affirmed its readiness to mediate discussions between Thailand and Cambodia to uphold a signed ceasefire agreement.
The Foreign Minister anticipates these talks will occur soon, following his discussions with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Bernama specified the translation error occurred in the eighth paragraph of its original report, fundamentally altering the intended meaning of Mohamad Hasan’s statement on the landmine discovery.